The CBF annually awards five Sun-Times Fellowships to legal aid or public interest law attorneys who demonstrate a commitment to public interest work, academic achievement in law school, and outstanding character and integrity.

Hart, 46, previously served as general counsel and executive vice president at United. He's well-known in Chicago's business world, having worked as general counsel and corporate secretary at Sara Lee.

Since 2013, he has been serving as the US Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, after a career that has included a firm partnership, a top-level position in a major city attorney’s office, high-profile service in the White House, and the presidency of a large international investment firm.

Scott Kafker, 56, was lauded as a tech-savvy judge who has worked to cut down on the court’s backlog and used the resources of the Appeals Court efficiently, during his official swearing-in by fellow Swampscott resident Gov. Charlie Baker at the John Adams Courthouse in Pemberton Square in Boston on Monday.